Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, in 2015, a white supremacist with a criminal record was allowed to purchase a gun which he used to kill nine parishioners at Mother Emanuel AME Church in South Carolina. That shooter, who was prohibited under Federal law from owning a gun, was able to purchase one because of a loophole that allows the sale of a gun to proceed if Federal investigators do not complete a background check within 3 days. Through November of last year there were more than 5,800 incidents where people who are legally prohibited--criminals--legally prohibited from purchasing a firearm still obtained one because of this dangerous provision, which has come to be known as the ``Charleston loophole.'' H.R. 1446, the Enhanced Background Checks Act, closes the Charleston loophole. It strengthens background check procedures to ensure that Federal investigators have enough time to complete background checks before a gun is transferred to the buyer. Common sense. But closing the Charleston loophole is not enough. Current Federal law only requires a background check for the sale of guns from licensed gun dealers. Background checks work. Since the law was enacted, 3\1/2\ million gun sales were denied, which means 3\1/2\ million people who were prohibited under Federal law because of a criminal record or some other disqualifying information were denied the right to buy a gun. They work. The problem is more than 20 percent of gun sales or gun transfers happen without a background check.…”